Generally yes, however common sense applies. If you are making good gains then certainly stick with what you are doing until the gains stop or you feel stale. However it has been my experience that after the firs 3 to 4 months - usually when you usually make the most progress - results come slower and changing the program, hitting the muscles from different angles, varying your macros etc will be necessary to get your body to improve and overcome sticking points.

Tell that to strongmen, powerlifters, olympic lifters, professional athletes, or basically anyone who knows a thing about actual strength training

Once I was doing deadlifts, when on rep 2 I felt a pop around the bottom of my ribs in back. It didn't hurt so I finished the set. But then I noticed that I couldn't breathe deeply or turn to the right. A few hours later I was able to take a very deep breath, and I felt another pop. Everything was fine by my next deadlift session.

"Don't go in there, General, it's a trap! That's a grain chamber. It makes people like you into people like me."

Generally yes, however common sense applies. If you are making good gains then certainly stick with what you are doing until the gains stop or you feel stale. However it has been my experience that after the firs 3 to 4 months - usually when you usually make the most progress - results come slower and changing the program, hitting the muscles from different angles, varying your macros etc will be necessary to get your body to improve and overcome sticking points.

If you're working with barbells, you don't need different exercises or to "hit your muscles at different angles". There are two reasons why people stall:

1. Recovery. They are not eating/resting enough.
2. Programming. Doing too much or too little to drive progress. This is also tied to point #1.

The more advanced a trainee you are, the more important these points become. If you've never touched weights, you can do anything and make yourself stronger. The reason why people stall after a few months is because the novice effect of training wears off, and 1 & 2 are wrong so they think they need to "switch it up". You can become a competitive strength athlete by only doing squats, deadlifts, overhead presses, bench presses, and chin-ups. Many people have.

Tell that to strongmen, powerlifters, olympic lifters, professional athletes, or basically anyone who knows a thing about actual strength training

I mean its gonna be individual, but strongmen and powerlifters vary their stuff quite a bit from the stuff I've seen. Rep ranges, accessory work, splits. Nobody stays on the same program forever. Hell 5/3/1 is the definition of varying your program. Saw a whole lot on using chains, bands, glute/ham raises and box squats to improve your dead lift pulls written and performed by advanced strong men. From a strongman aspect you also gotta consider how varied their program really is just from practicing for the event. Lifting atlas stones, farmers walks, towing shit.... Lots of stuff that sits outside your big 4 lifts. From what I saw there are lots of tweaks to get you through plateaus. Sure you probably dont need any of that till your hitting intermediate/advanced status though.

I mean its gonna be individual, but strongmen and powerlifters vary their stuff quite a bit from the stuff I've seen. Rep ranges, accessory work, splits. Nobody stays on the same program forever.

Programming varies. The exercises - not so much. If you're a strength athlete, you're going to squat. It doesn't matter how novice or advanced you are, but you will squat, or you will not be competitive. Whether you are doing 3x5, or 5x5, 1x5, or 20x1, or squats with chains, or box squats, or once a week PR, or once a month PR, you will still do squats and they will be one of your core building blocks of strength.

I'm talking more about "variety" and "muscle confusion" and other type of broscience. If your squats stalled, it doesn't mean it's time for the leg press, or walking lunges, or leg curls because you're muscles are too used to squats; it means your recovery and/or programming need a change. The basic barbell exercises can make you as strong as you can be, and your muscles won't need to get confused.

Originally Posted by Neckhammer

Hell 5/3/1 is the definition of varying your program. Saw a whole lot on using chains, bands, glute/ham raises and box squats to improve your dead lift pulls written and performed by advanced strong men. From a strongman aspect you also gotta consider how varied their program really is just from practicing for the event. Lifting atlas stones, farmers walks, toeing shit.... Lots of stuff that sits outside your big 4 lifts. From what I saw there are lots of tweaks to get you through plateaus. Sure you probably dont need any of that till your hitting intermediate/advanced status though.

You need to do specialized training for your sport, but the core strength training is still all around basic barbell lifts. A strongman develops massive lifting strength from squats and deadlifts, and then practices using that strength on stones. You'll have a heck of a time trying to become competitive in strongman by just doing strongman stuff.

I mean its gonna be individual, but strongmen and powerlifters vary their stuff quite a bit from the stuff I've seen. Rep ranges, accessory work, splits. Nobody stays on the same program forever. Hell 5/3/1 is the definition of varying your program. Saw a whole lot on using chains, bands, glute/ham raises and box squats to improve your dead lift pulls written and performed by advanced strong men. From a strongman aspect you also gotta consider how varied their program really is just from practicing for the event. Lifting atlas stones, farmers walks, towing shit.... Lots of stuff that sits outside your big 4 lifts. From what I saw there are lots of tweaks to get you through plateaus. Sure you probably dont need any of that till your hitting intermediate/advanced status though.

Agreed. But assistance exercises, rep ranges, half reps like board presses, bands, chains, etc are one thing. You are still basically utilizing the same exercises. That is different than changing the programming for the sake of muscle confusion.

I mean, look at louie simmons at westside barbell or joe defranco at defranco's gym. 2 of the most well respected strength trainers in the country, possibly in the world. They do all of the things that you mentioned as assistance work, but the basic programming remains the same

But if back pain is an issue, I strongly recommend a sumo-style stance and NOT using an over/under grip and only using double-overhand. I used to hurt my back doing over/under. It forces you to stand slightly off-balance since one arm is slightly shorter than the other using this grip. Since double-overhand maintains perfect symmetry, I've had much more success.

Don't put your trust in anyone on this forum, including me. You are the key to your own success.

Deadlift is overrated and has now to days become a staple for cross-fitters and other wannabe muscle heads! Many power-lifters are almost not even deadlifting anymore outside of the meets, since the lift is very taxing on CNS and lower back, and may set you back on other lifts. And there are lots of movements that can replace itů

"All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident."